U.S. patent number 5,407,250 [Application Number 08/077,113] was granted by the patent office on 1995-04-18 for modular knockdown chair.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Pawleys Island Hammock Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Hodge Kitchin, R. A. Phillips, III, James B. Prince.
United States Patent |
5,407,250 |
Prince , et al. |
April 18, 1995 |
Modular knockdown chair
Abstract
A modular chair with quickly assembled and disassembled modules
and a compact packing arrangement includes right and left side
modules each having an arm member, a rocker member, at least one
side member, at least one front mortise, at least one rear mortise,
at least one back mortise, and front and rear posts connecting
together the arm, side and rocker members. A back module has upper
and lower stretcher members connected together by at least one back
member, and right and left back tenons for engaging respectively
the back mortises of the right and left side modules. At least one
front rail connects together the front posts of the right and left
side modules, and has right and left tenons for engaging
respectively the front mortises of the right and left side modules.
At least one rear rail connects together the rear posts of the
right and left side modules, and has right and left tenons for
engaging respectively the rear mortises of the right and left side
modules. A seat module has front and rear support members connected
together by at least one seat member, and corresponding end
portions of the support members are adapted to rest on the side
members of the right and left side modules.
Inventors: |
Prince; James B. (Pawleys
Island, SC), Phillips, III; R. A. (Scotland Neck, NC),
Kitchin; Hodge (Scotland Neck, NC) |
Assignee: |
Pawleys Island Hammock Co.,
Ltd. (Pawleys Island, SC)
|
Family
ID: |
22136131 |
Appl.
No.: |
08/077,113 |
Filed: |
June 16, 1993 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
297/440.2;
297/440.22; 297/440.23 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47C
3/029 (20130101); A47C 4/02 (20130101); A47C
4/03 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A47C
3/029 (20060101); A47C 4/02 (20060101); A47C
3/02 (20060101); A47C 4/00 (20060101); A47C
005/10 () |
Field of
Search: |
;297/440.1,440.2,440.22,440.23,258 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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|
|
|
|
205706 |
|
Oct 1959 |
|
AT |
|
90311 |
|
Dec 1922 |
|
DE |
|
365461 |
|
Dec 1922 |
|
DE |
|
806110 |
|
Dec 1958 |
|
GB |
|
1508585 |
|
Apr 1978 |
|
GB |
|
Primary Examiner: Gluck; Richard E.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Pollock, Vande Sande &
Priddy
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A modular chair with quickly assembled and disassembled modules,
said chair comprising:
right and left side modules each having an arm member, at least one
side member, front mortise means, rear mortise means, back mortise
means, and front and rear posts connecting together said arm, and
side members;
a back module having upper and lower stretcher members connected
together by at least one back member, and right and left back tenon
means for engaging respectively the back mortise means of said
right and left side modules;
at least one front rail for connecting together the front posts of
said right and left side modules, and having right and left tenon
means for engaging respectively the front mortise means of said
right and left side modules;
at least one rear rail for connecting together the rear posts of
said right and left side modules, and having right and left tenon
means for engaging respectively the rear mortise means of said
right and left side modules; and,
a seat module having front and rear support members connected
together by at least one seat member,
said support members being long enough to at least partially extend
over one of the side members of each of said side modules such that
each of said support members may rest on said one side member of
both of said side modules when said chair is fully assembled,
said at least one seat member being sufficiently long for said
front and rear support members to be placed in the vicinity of said
front and rear posts, respectively,
and said seat module not being removeable while said chair is fully
assembled.
2. A modular chair according to claim 1, wherein said chair is a
rocking chair and said side members are rocker members.
3. A modular chair according to claim 1, wherein corresponding end
portions of said support members are adapted to rest on the side
member of each of said right and left side modules when the back
mortise means of said side modules are engaged by the right and
left tenon means of said back module and the front and rear mortise
means of said side modules are engaged by the right and left tenon
means of said front and rear rails, respectively.
4. The modular chair according to claim 1, wherein said tenon means
on said at least one front rail and on said at least one back rail
have a substantially circular cross section and the front and rear
mortise means on said right and left side modules have a
corresponding cross section.
5. The modular chair according to claim 1, wherein said tenon means
on said upper and lower stretcher members have a substantially oval
cross section and said mortise means on said rear posts of said
side modules have a corresponding cross section.
6. The modular chair according to claim 1, wherein at least one
securing element secures at least one of said support members of
said seat module to at least one of said front and rear posts of
said side modules.
7. The modular chair according to claim 6, wherein said securing
element is a screw or nail and the longitudinal axis thereof is
angled inward relative to said side members of said side modules.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the field of furniture, and in
particular, a knockdown chair including a number of modules which
can be easily assembled and disassembled and which may be easily
placed in a compact box for storage, transportation and/or
packaging.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The concept of producing furniture which is easily assembled by the
purchaser has become increasingly popular. Such knockdown furniture
provides a manufacturer with the opportunity to make high quality
furniture available to customers at a lower cost, increases the
ease with which furniture may be shipped, and also provides an
opportunity for consumers to engage in a handicraft project to some
extent. In addition, such knockdown furniture that may be both
assembled and disassembled easily is much more adaptable than other
types of furniture to the mobile lifestyle typical in society
today. Although knockdown furniture is generally known, few pieces
of such furniture are designed for both easy assembly and
disassembly.
In constructing knockdown furniture, it is desirable that the piece
of furniture be assembled from a plurality of relatively planar
parts. For instance, a knockdown bureau may consist of a top,
bottom, sides and back. The bureau drawers may include four sides
and a bottom. All of these parts may be packaged in a flat, small
container as compared to a container designed to hold the
constructed bureau.
It is also desirable that the respective parts of knockdown
furniture be designed for assembly and disassembly using standard
household tools. Therefore, knockdown furniture packages often
include fasteners, such as screws or bolts, to secure together the
respective parts of the knockdown furniture. While these fasteners
are necessary to allow the furniture to be assembled by the
consumer, such fastening means would not normally be used if the
furniture were constructed at a factory and shipped fully
assembled.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an improved design for a knockdown
chair, particularly a rocking chair, and utilizes a number of
quickly assembled and disassembled modules. The chair includes
right and left side modules each having an arm member, a rocker
member, preferably at least one side member, front mortise means,
back mortise means, and front and rear posts connecting the arm,
side, and rocker members. The chair also includes a back module
having upper and lower stretcher members connected together by at
least one back member. The back module also includes right and left
back tenon means for engaging respectively the back mortise means
of the right and left side modules.
At least one front rail is provided for connecting the front posts
of the right and left side modules. The front rail has right and
left tenon means for engaging, respectively, the front mortise
means of the right and left side modules. The chair preferably also
includes at least one rear rail for connecting together the rear
posts of the right and left side modules. The rear rail has right
and left tenon means for engaging respectively corresponding rear
mortise means of the right and left side modules. The front and
rear rails, the respective side members and the front and rear
posts may have various cross-sectional shapes, including square,
rectangular, triangular, oval and round.
The chair further includes a seat module having front and rear
support members connected together by at least one seat member.
Corresponding end portions of the support members are adapted to
rest on the side members of the right and left side modules when
the back mortise of the side modules are engaged by the right and
left tenon means of the back module and the front and rear mortise
means of the side modules are engaged by the right and left tenon
means of the front and rear rails respectively.
Additionally, the right end portion of the front support member of
the seat module is preferably in close proximity to the front post
of the right side module, the right end portion of the rear support
member is preferably in close proximity to the rear post of the
right side module, the left end portion of the front support is
preferably in close proximity to the front post of the left side
member and the left end portion of the rear support member is
preferably in close proximity to the rear post of the left side
module. Accordingly, the front, the rear or both seat support
members may be connected directly to the corresponding front and
rear posts of the side modules. If connected to both, the at least
one side member may be omitted. However, there are preferably three
side members, together with three front rails and two rear
rails.
The present invention further provides a method of arranging the
various modules and other components in a compact packing position
providing a relatively thin and flat package which has a shipping
volume substantially less than that of the assembled chair.
The present invention also provides a method of assembling a
knockdown chair, including the step of laying one of the side
modules on a supportive surface such that the various mortise means
face upward. Next, the corresponding tenon means on the back
member, on the at least one front rail and on the at least one back
rail are inserted into the respective mortise means on this side
module. Then, the respective mortise means on the other side module
are aligned with the corresponding tenon means on the back module,
on the front rail, and on the rear rail. All of the mortise and
tenon means are then caused to become at least partially engaged by
forcing the side modules toward each other, such as by applying
weight or blows with a rubber mallet to the upper side module.
Securing screws or nails may then be inserted through the front and
rear posts of the side modules and partially into the respective
tenon means on the back module, on the at least one front rail, and
on the at least one rear rail. Countersunk bores are preferably
provided for the screwheads, and pre-drilled holes may be provided
for the threaded screw shafts. A glue or adhesive composition for
bonding together pieces of wood may be used instead of screws or
nails.
After stabilizing the chair with the partially inserted securing
screws or nails, the seat module is inserted into a space defined
by the arm members, the side members, the front posts and the rear
posts of said side modules. With the seat module in this position,
the right and left end portions of the front and rear support
members of the seat module will rest upon the side member of the
right and left side modules, respectively.
Finally, after placing the seat module in position, the screws or
nails inserted partially into the tenon means of the front rail,
rear rail and back module are fully inserted to fully seat each
tenon means in its corresponding mortise. With these screws or
nails fully inserted, the size and shape of the seat module are
preferably such that the otherwise unsecured seat module is not
removable from the chair assembly. However, the seat module may be
connected to either pair or both pairs of front and rear posts as
previously indicated.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention may be further understood from the Detailed
Description thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a fully assembled modular rocking
chair according to one embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the embodiment seen in FIG.
1;
FIG. 3 is an exploded view of all of the components of an assembled
modular rocking chair according to the embodiment of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective and fragmentary view of one of
the tenon and mortise connections between the back module and one
of the side modules of the embodiment of FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the tenon and mortise
connection of FIG. 4 taken along the line 5--5 in FIG. 2;
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a tenon and mortise connection
for a front rail taken along the line 6--6 in FIG. 2;
FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective and fragmentary view of the joint
shown in cross section in FIG. 6; and
FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective and fragmentary view of a fixed
connection between the seat module and one of the side modules of
the embodiment of FIG. 1.
FIG. 9 is a plan view of a disassembled modular rocking chair
showing all of the components of the embodiment of FIG. 1 in a
packing arrangement.
FIG. 10 is an end view of the packing arrangement of the
disassembled chair in a shipping carton or similar container.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of a modular rocking chair
according to the present invention. FIG. 2 shows a left side view
of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. The chair shown in FIGS. 1 and 2
is one example of a modular, knockdown chair which is made in
accordance with the teachings of the present invention. Different
types of knockdown chairs, other than rocking chairs, also may be
made in accordance with the present invention.
The rocking chair, according to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and
2, includes a set of quickly assembled and disassembled modules as
seen in the exploded view in FIG. 3. These modules include right
and left side modules 2 and 3, respectively, a back module 4 and a
seat module 5. Each of these modules may be made up of a plurality
of components.
For instance, the right and left side modules 2 and 3 as seen in
FIG. 3 may include respectively upright rear post members 2a and 3a
extending from the floor to the top of the back at the rear of the
chair. Upright front post members 2b and 3b may extend from the
ground to the corresponding arm members 2c and 3c. The arm members
2c and 3c may extend from a point near the middle of the upright
rear post members 2a and 3a and may be connected to the top of the
upright front post members 2b and 3b.
At least one side member 2d, 3d may be attached to both the upright
rear post member 2a, 3a and the upright front post member 2b, 3b to
provide increased structural integrity to the chair and to support
the seat module as described below. The embodiment shown in FIG. 3
includes three such side members for each of the side modules 2 and
3. However, a smaller or larger number of side members may be
included in a chair according to the present invention.
If the chair is a rocking chair, each of the side modules also
includes a rocker member 2e, 3e attached to the base of the upright
rear post member 2a, 3a and to the base of the upright front post
member 2b, 3b.
Since the side modules are the same, any part discussed as being on
one side module is to be understood as having a corresponding part
on the other, although not all parts on each side module are
specifically discussed with reference to a part number.
Although the components of the side modules may be connected
together using a variety of joint types, mortise and tenon joints
are used in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-3. The mortise and
tenon joints may be supplemented by the use of a bracket 2f,
3fsecured to the upright front post and to the arm member 2c, 3c as
well. As best seen in FIG. 2, the bracket may be secured to the arm
member and front post using screws. The mortises and tenons may be
secured together by a variety of securing means, including glue,
screws or nails. Glue is preferably used to secure together all of
the mortises and tenons providing joints between the components of
the right and left side modules.
The upright rear and front post members of the side modules 2 and 3
each include a plurality of connecting means for engaging the
cross-connecting rail members 6 and 14 and the back module 4 making
up the chair. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-3, these
cross-connecting means on the right and left side modules are
mortise means, such as 3g on the inside of the front post 3b of the
left side module 3 facing the right side module 2, 3h on the lower
portion of the rear post 3a of the left side module and 3i and 3j
on the upper portion of the back rear post 3a of the left side
module. The right side module 2 has mortise means in the same
number and location as the left side module, but they cannot be
seen in FIG. 3.
The mortise means 3g and 3h in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 have
circular cross sections. However, other shapes may be used for
these mortise means, such as square, oblong, or other structural
shapes. The mortise means 3i and 3j formed in the upper portions of
the rear posts 2a and 3a are provided for connecting the side
modules 2 and 3 to the back module 4 and are preferably in the
shape of an elongated ellipse or an oval. As discussed regarding
the other mortise means included on the side modules, the mortise
means for connecting the back module and the side modules may have
other shapes, such as round, square, rectangular, oblong and the
like. Each side module includes the same number and location of
mortise means and each side of the back module includes
corresponding tenon means. Therefore, the discussion of the mortise
and tenon means applies to both side modules and either side of the
back module.
Inserted between and connected to the left and right side modules
are the back module 4, a seat module 5, at least one front rail 6
and at least one rear rail 14. As seen in FIGS. 1-3, three front
rails 6 connect together the front upright posts of the left and
right side modules. Each front rail includes right and left tenon
means 6b and 6a for engaging the mortise means 2g and 3g on the
right and left side modules respectively. The tenon means must have
the same cross-sectional shape and slightly less cross-sectional
area as the corresponding mortise means into which it will be
inserted.
When assembling a modular chair according to the present invention,
the at least one front rail may be secured in place solely by the
friction between the mortise means and tenon means, However, it is
preferable that the at least one front rail be secured to the right
and left side modules using screws to provide greater structural
integrity. In addition, where no future knockdown capability is
desired, glue may be placed within the mortise means on the front
post members to further secure the front rail(s).
As seen in closeup cross section in FIG. 6, the tenon means 6a on
the at least one front rail 6 fits into the at least one mortise
means 3g on the upright front post 3b of the left side module 3. A
screw 7 engages a hole 8, which may be pre-drilled, in the side of
the upright front post member. The screw preferably extends through
the upright front post member 3b, through the tenon means 6a and at
least partially into the body of the at least one front rail 6. The
hole 8 may then be sealed with a sealing member 9 to protect the
hole and the screw. The sealing plug member 9 may be glued in place
and is more aesthetically pleasing than the open hole 8 and the
exposed screw 7. FIG. 7 shows a perspective fragmentary view of the
joint shown in cross section in FIG. 6, and illustrates the spatial
relationship between the various components of the joint. The joint
between the right tenon means 6b on the front rail(s) is joined to
a similar mortise means on the right front post 2b on the right
side module 2. The at least one rear rail 14 also includes tenon
means to fit into corresponding mortise means in the inside face of
the lower portion of the rear posts 2a and 3a respectively of the
right and left side modules 2 and 3. The rear rail(s) may be
attached to the rear posts in the same manner as the front
rail(s).
In addition to the front and rear rails, the right and left side
modules are connected by the back module 4. The back module
includes an upper stretcher member 4a and a lower stretcher member
4b. As seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, the stretcher members may be
elongated members with a substantially rectangular cross section.
Depressions 4h and 4i, which conform generally to the lateral
curvature of a person's back, may be formed in the upper and lower
stretcher members respectively and face the front of the chair to
provide a more comfortable back rest. The upper and lower stretcher
members are connected by at least one back member 4c, which also
may be curved or warped vertically to conform generally to the
vertical curvature of a person's back. The embodiment shown in
FIGS. 1-3 includes five back members. However, a greater or lesser
number of back members may be included in the back module. The back
members may be joined to the upper and lower members using mortise
and tenon joints, preferably with the mortises and tenons glued
together, or any other suitable means for fixing two pieces of wood
together in such an arrangement.
To connect the back module to the side modules, the ends of the
upper and lower stretcher members may be provided with right and
left back tenon means 4d, 4e, 4f, and 4g. These back tenon means
engage the back mortise means 2i, 2j, 3i, and 3j in the upper
portion of the rear post members 2a and 3a of the right and left
side modules. The mortise and tenon means on the back module and
the rear posts of the side modules must have the same shape and the
cross-sectional area of the tenon means must be slightly less than
the cross-sectional area of the corresponding mortise means. The
back mortise means on the rear posts of the right and left side
modules are formed on the side modules at a distance from each
other as necessary to accommodate a back module having back members
of a selected length. Since the length of the back members may be
varied, the distance between the upper and lower stretcher members
of the back module will vary accordingly, thereby necessitating a
corresponding change in the location of the mortise means on the
back posts of the side modules.
FIG. 4 shows an exploded perspective and fragmentary view of the
joint between the back module 4 and the left side module 3. As seen
in FIG. 4, the tenon 4e on the upper stretcher member 4a of the
back module 4 fits into the tenon means 3j on the back post 3a of
the left side module 3. The upper stretcher member 4a and the tenon
means 4e of the back module 4 may include a pre-drilled hole 4f
which extends through the tenon means and at least partially into
the body of the upper stretcher member 4a. This pre-drilled hole is
adapted to receive a screw 10 of predetermined size.
The back post 3a of the left side module 3 may also include a
pre-drilled hole 3k for receiving the screw. After the mortise 4e
is inserted into the tenon means 3j, the screw 10 is screwed onto
the hole in the back post and into the tenon 4e and stretcher
member 4a. The end of the hole 3k may then be closed with a
decorative button 11. FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of the
joint between the back module 4 and the side modules 3. The other 3
joints between the back module and the right and left side modules
are similarly constructed.
Also located between the right and left side modules is a seat
module 5. The seat module, as seen in perspective view in FIG. 3,
includes front and rear support members 5a and 5b which preferably
are substantially parallel to each other. At least one seat member
5c connects together the front and rear support members 5a and 5b,
respectively. The embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-3 includes 13 seat
members, although a greater or lesser number may be included. At
either side of the seat module, there is preferably provided a
shorter seat member 5e of a length adapted to fit longitudinally
between the front and rear posts of the side modules 2 and 3 as
seen best in FIGS. 3 and 8.
The front and rear support members 5a and 5b of the seat module 5
must be sufficiently long so as to be able to rest upon the side
members 2d and 3d of the right and left side modules when the back
module 4 and front rail(s) 6 and rear rail(s) 14 connect the two
side modules together. The distance between the front and rear
support members 5a and 5b is sufficient so that with the seat
inserted between the right and left side modules, the front and
rear support member of the seat module are in close proximity to
the front and rear posts of the right and left side modules.
The relationship between the front post member 2b of the right side
module 2 and the front support member 5a of the seat module 5 may
be seen in FIG. 8. With the tenon means fully seated in their
corresponding mortise means so that the side modules are securely
connected together by the back module and by the at least one front
rail and the at least one rear rail, the seat module will be held
loosely in place and removal thereof will be prevented by the arms,
front and rear posts, and side members of the side modules.
However, the seat module may be more securely fixed in position
relative to the other components of the chair by using screws
inserted into holes formed in the front and rear support members
and into corresponding holes in the front and/or rear posts of the
side modules. As seen in FIG. 8, the screw 12 is inserted into the
hole 5d in the front support member 5a of the seat module and into
the holes 2e formed in the front post 2b of the right side module
2.
So as to facilitate the securing of the screw in the seat module
and in the front posts of the side modules, the holes 5d and 2e are
preferably drilled so as to be angled from the outside of the chair
towards the inside of the chair. As seen in FIG. 8, the hole 2e in
the right front side post of the right side module should be angled
slightly from right the left. The holes 5d and 2e need to be angled
only sufficiently to allow a screw driver to be easily applied to
the head of screw 12 as the latter enters into these holes.
Otherwise, with the seat module resting on the side members, there
may not be enough space between the seat members 5c of the seat
module and side members 2d and 3d of the right and left side
modules to accommodate a screw driver to screw in the screws. By
angling the holes 5d and 2e running through the support members of
the seat module and the front and/or rear posts of the side
modules, a screw driver can be easily applied to secure the screws.
The other connections, if any, between the seat module and the side
modules may be formed in a manner similar to that discussed above
and illustrated in FIG. 8.
The present invention further includes a method of arranging the
components of the modular chair and the resulting arrangement for
packing in a flat container of relative small thickness as measured
transverse to its length and width dimensions. With the chair
disassembled, the modules and other components thereof are
preferably arranged in a packing arrangement 14 as shown in FIG. 9
before being inserted in a cardboard carton 15 or other shipping
container as shown in FIG. 10. To keep these components in the
packing arrangement shown, the arranged components 14 are
preferably wrapped several times with wide sheets of thin film
plastic (not shown) drawn from a roll of this packaging material.
The screws 7, 10 and 12, the plugs 9 and 11, and a sheet 16 of
written assembly instructions, are preferably package in a sealed
plastic bag 17 as shown in FIG. 9 and placed in carton 15 along
with packing arrangement 14.
To achieve this packing arrangement, the right and left side
modules 2 and 3 are laid flat in opposite directions with the rear
post thereof overlapped substantially along their entire length as
shown in FIG. 9. Then, the back module 4 is laid flat over the side
member area of one of the flat side modules, and the seat module 5
is laid flat over the side member area of the other flat side
module. The front and rear rails are then laid between back module
4 and the side members of the corresponding side module. The shape
and size of the back, seat and side modules and of the front and
rear rails are such that when laid flat they fit within the
perimeter defined by the outline 18 of the side modules when viewed
from the side. The packing arrangement also is such that the
thickness thereof transverse to the height and depth of the side
modules is substantially equal to the combined thicknesses of the
seat module 5 and the rear posts 2a and 3a of the right and left
side modules as shown in FIG. 10.
The present invention also includes a method of assembling a
modular chair from the quickly assembled and disassembled modules
of the invention. According to this method, a first one of the side
modules is laid on a flat surface, with the mortise means on this
side module facing upward. Either the right or left corresponding
back tenon means on the back module are then inserted into the back
mortise means on the first side module. Next, the tenon means on
the at least one front rail and the at least one rear rail are
inserted into the mortise means on the front and rear posts of the
first side module. The back module and front and rear rails may
then be gently tapped until the mortise and tenon joints are
snug.
After placing the back module and the front and rear rails on the
first side module, the second side module is placed on top of the
free ends of the back module and the front and rear side rails so
that the tenon means on the upper and lower stretcher members of
the back module are inserted into the back mortise means, front
mortise means, and rear mortise means, respectively, on the second
side module. The second side module may then be tapped until the
tenon means are secure in the mortise means thereof.
The chair is then placed in an upright position and screws or nails
are partially inserted into the rails only enough to stabilize the
chair. While the chair is so secured, but still lose, the seat
module is inserted past the arms and into the space between the
arms and side members of the side modules. The screws or nails
securing the stretcher members of the back module and the front and
rear rails are then fully inserted such that the tenon means are
fully seated in the mortise means, the chair is sturdy, and the
modules and rails are completely immobile relative to each
other.
Wooden plugs may then be inserted into the screw or nail holes to
cover the screw or nail heads and glued in place with a small
amount of glue that would not prevent later removal of the plugs
with a screw driver. At this point, screws or nails may be inserted
through the support members of the seat module into the front
and/or rear posts of the side modules and then fully tightened
(screws) or seated (nails). However, in the preferred embodiment of
the present invention, screws or nails are not required for
securing the seat module because the size and shape of this module
is such that it is not removable from the chair assembly, although
it may be lifted off of the upper side members 2d and 3d. A notch
may be provided in the ends of seat support members 5a and 5b as
shown by the broken line 20 in FIG. 8 to prevent side to side
shifting of the unsecured seat module.
The embodiments describe above represent non-limiting examples of
the invention and many other variations and modifications are
possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention. Accordingly, the invention is not limited in its
application to the details of structure specifically described or
illustrated and, within the scope of the appended claims, it may be
practiced otherwise than as specifically described or
illustrated.
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